Distribution

The Japanese spider crab Macrocheira kaempferi is mostly limited to the Pacific side of the Japanese islands, Konshu and Kyushu, usually at a latitude between 30 and 40 degrees North. They are found most often in the Sagami, Suruga, and Tosa bays, as well as off the coast of the Kii peninsula. However, the crab has been found as far south as Su-ao, in Eastern Taiwan. This is most likely a one time event; it is possible a fishing trawler or extreme weather may have carried this individual much further south than its home range.